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Useful reference books exist in every
field of collecting including buttons. This guide-in-progress lists a
good many readily available works as well as books, catalogues and pamphlets now quite difficult to find.
Many early books on button collecting have been reprinted and can be found at a reasonable price, rare works sometimes find their way to ebay, and new reference books are always appearing. Catalogues and pamphlets geared to specific areas round out the collector's library.
Do keep in mind that short works and works published before 1965 are typically illustrated in black & white.
Here's a link for a general search of button books in the button catagory: Vintage Sewing> Buttons > Book
Some sellers don't list books by title or fail to include an author's name, using key words instead. The result is haphazard but useful, and sometimes hilarious, key word search.
Book titles in blue are quick search links for books frequently available in eBay auctions and stores. Scroll down for store listings. Results may vary from week to week as listings change. This is a search option not an endorsement of any particular seller. Most works also appear on various booksellers' lists on the web.
Many early books on button collecting have been reprinted and can be found at a reasonable price, rare works sometimes find their way to ebay, and new reference books are always appearing. Catalogues and pamphlets geared to specific areas round out the collector's library.
Do keep in mind that short works and works published before 1965 are typically illustrated in black & white.
Here's a link for a general search of button books in the button catagory: Vintage Sewing> Buttons > Book
Some sellers don't list books by title or fail to include an author's name, using key words instead. The result is haphazard but useful, and sometimes hilarious, key word search.
Book titles in blue are quick search links for books frequently available in eBay auctions and stores. Scroll down for store listings. Results may vary from week to week as listings change. This is a search option not an endorsement of any particular seller. Most works also appear on various booksellers' lists on the web.
A BUTTON COLLECTOR'S REFERENCE SHELF
BOOKS,
CATALOGUES & PAMPHLETS
CATALOGUES & PAMPHLETS
Adams, Jane Ford ~ All About Buttons, 1761-1980: A Descriptive and Annotated Bibliography
of Publications Containing Information About the Making, Wearing, and Collecting
of Buttons, 1981, 53 pages.
Albert, Lillian Smith ~ A Buttons Collector's Journal, Hightstown, NJ.
Albert, Lillian Smith ~ A Button Collector's Second Journal, Hightstown, NJ, 1941.
Albert, Lillian Smith & Kathryn Kent ~ The Complete Button Book Doubleday & Co., 1949.
Albert, Lillian Smith & Adams, Jane Ford ~ The Button Sampler, M. Barrows and Co., 1951, 143 pages.
Babington, Edna ~ Babington's Buttons, A self published sales catalogue of handcrafted buttons including watch crystal, scrimshaw, and jasperware buttons, 1973, b&w illustrations.
Bailey, Gordon. ~ Buttons & Fasteners 500BC-AD1840 ~ ISBN 1897738218, Greenlight Publishing. Illustrated guide on excavated buttons in Britain.
Binder, Pearl ~ The Pearlies: A Social Record, Jupiter Bks.,1975, 160 pages. This is an account of the East End Street traders in London who decorated their clothes with pearl buttons.
Brown, Dorothy Foster ~ Button Parade: A Book of Button Groupings Lightner Publishing, 1942, reprint 1968.
Brown, Dorothy Foster and George Elbert Adams ~ Backs of Buttons, Adams; 1946, 42 pages.
Burkheimer, Harriet ~ Though the Button Hole, "Care and testing of buttons emphasized. Mechanics of button collecting explained" from author's ad, self published, likely 1970s vintage.
Cassidy, Ethel B. ~ Little Buttons, Wellington OH, 1943.
Chamberlin, Erwina & Miner, Minerva ~ Button Heritage Falkner Printing Co, Sherburne NY, 1976, 200 pages.
Couse, Erwina & Maple, Marguerite ~ Button Classics Lightner Publishing 1941. Reprinted as ~ Yesterday's Button Classics, Century House, 1970, 249 pages with107 plates.
Crummet, Polly De Steiguer ~ Button Collecting, Lightner Pub.Co. 1939, b&w photos, 157 pages.
Davis, Minnie Staples ~ Hunting Buttons in Vermont, The Lane Press.
De Buzzaccareini, Vittoria and Isabella Zotti Minici ~ Buttons & Sundries: From the Twentieth Century, Histories of Fashion, Italy, 1990. English language.
Epstein, Diana ~ Buttons, Walker, 1968.
Epstein, Diana and Millicent Safro ~ Buttons Harry Abrams, Inc. foreword by Jim Dine, preface by Tom Wolfe, 2001.
Ertell, Viviane Beck ~ The Colorful World of Buttons, Pyne Press, 1973, 43 color plates illustrating thousands of buttons. This work by a noted collector who specialized in 18th century buttons.
Fink, Nancy, and Ditzler, Maryalice ~ Buttons: The Collector's guide to Selecting, Restoring New and Vintage Buttons, 1993.
Ford, Grace Horney ~ The Button Collector's History, 1943, 238 pages.
Graham, Elinor ~ Maine Charm String, MacMillan and Co.,1946.
Houart, Victor ~ Buttons: A Collector's Guide, Souvenir Press, 1977, 128 pages.
Howells, Jocelyn ~ Button Materials A-Z: Identification Guide, self publisher, 160 pages
Howells, Jocelyn ~ Plastic Buttons: How to Identify them using All Six Senses, self published.
Hughes, Elizabeth & Lester, Marion ~ The Big Book of Buttons ~ ISBN: 0962904600, New Leaf, 1981, 813 pages.
Jargstorf, Sibylle ~ Baubles, Buttons And Beads: The Heritage of Bohemia ~ ISBN 0887404677, Schiffer, 1993.
Jones, Nora Owens, Fuoss, Edith, and Smith Caroline ~ Black Glass Buttons combined with Return Engagement of Black Glass Buttons, New Leaf Publishers, 1994. Reprint OF 1945, and 1952 titles .
Just, Judith ~ Lea Stein Jewelry, Schiffer, 2001
Kamn, Dorothy ~ Painted Porcelain Jewelry And Buttons ISBN: 1574322664, Collector Books.
Kelso, Margaret F. and Ellen A. Coolidge, editor. ~ A Classification of Pearl and Shell Buttons, National Button Society, 1971, 62 pages.
Lamm, Ruth Beatrice and Lester Lorah, and Helen W. Schuler ~ Guidelines for Collecting China Buttons, National Button Society, 1970, 151 pages.
Leslie, Jane S ~ A Reference Book on Studio Button Makers, Arro Press, 1997.
Luscomb, Sally C. ~ The Collector's Encyclopedia of Buttons, Bonanza Books, 1967, reprint Schiffer Publishing, 1997.
Luscomb, Sally & Cassidy, Ethel ~ The Old Button Box, Southington CT, 1951.
Meredith, Alan and Gillian, ~ Buttons, Shire Books, 2001, 40 pages..
Morgan, Wilfred B.~Calico Button Check List, 3 pamphlets, 1939, line drawings of 293 patterns.
Newsome, Arden J. ~ Button Collecting and Crafting, Lothrop, Lee & Shepard Co. 1976.
Nicholls, Florence Z. ~ Button Hand Book: Comparative Values, Serial Numbers, Art Craft, 1944. 2 additional suppliments issued through 1949. 32, 51, & 79 pages respectively. b&w illustrations.
Olson, Lorraine, Old Buttons and Their Values, Lightner Publishing, Chicago, 1940, b&w illustrations.
Opre, Lula ~ The Dictionary Plus of Button Terms, A self published pamphlet, likely 1940s or 50s pub date.
Osbourne, Peggy Ann ~ Button, Button: Identification and Price Guide, Schiffer, 1997.
Osborne, Peggy Ann ~ Fun Buttons ~ ISBN 0887406912, Schiffer
Packard, E. ~ Goofies: Set and Non-Set, a self published series of 3 booklets, approx 40 b&w plates each, 1953.
Peacock, Primrose ~ Buttons for the Collector, 1972
Peacock, Primrose ~ Discovering Buttons, Shire Publications, 1984, reprint 1996, 71 pages.
Perry, Jane ~ A Collector's Guide to Peasant Silver Buttons, ISBN: 978-1-84799-850-7, Lulu.com, 2007, 188 pages. "Peasant silver buttons are the kind that are worn with traditional costume. This book is the first to identify and date all the main kinds in one compact volume. It illustrates in meticulous detail around 600 different peasant and souvenir buttons, from Europe, Asia and America. It shows the reader how to distinguish between old and modern buttons, with detailed pictures of backs and shanks as well as the different patterns and methods of construction. It also includes an invaluable list of the main silver marks found on peasant buttons, with line drawings and close-up photos."
Race, David E. and Deborah A. ~ The Standard Catalog of Rivited Buttons, self published, spiral spine, 2004, 140 pages.
Roberts, Catherine ~ Who's Got the Button: Old and New Angles to Button Collecting, David McKay, 1962.
Rodway, Edith A. ~ Buttons Mounts, A self published catalogue, likely 1940/50 pub date, b&w illustrations.
Schiff, Stefan O. ~ Buttons: Art in Miniature, Lancaster-Miller, 1979.
Shull, Thelma, ~ The Button String, Lightner Publishing Co., Chicago, 1942.
Sprong, John G. ~ Buttons: A Brief History, Turntable Junction, 1971.
Swenson, Evelyn ~ Picture Buttons of the Past, New England Publishing, 1978, 47 pages.
Tarbox, Alice T. ~ The Magic Land of Kate Greenaway, Just Buttons, Southington, CT 1968.
Walker, Monica ~ Its All About Celluloid Buttons, a self published work, spiral bound soft cover, 2005.
Wegener, Helen ~ Antique Button Catalogue, A self published sales catalogue issued as a series of loose b&w plates of high quality, at least 48 plates are known. 1943, Tacoma WA.
Wisniewski, Debra J. ~ Antique & Collectible Buttons: Identification and Values Collector Books, 1997
UNIFORM BUTTONS
Albert, Alphaeus ~Record of American Uniform and Historical Buttons with Supplement, Boyertown Pub. Co., 1969, 1976.
Albert, Alphaeus ~ Buttons of the Confederacy, Boyertown Pub. Co., Hightstown, NJ, 1963, 93 pages
Albert, Alphaeus ~ Washington Historical Buttons, Hightstown, NJ, 1949, 82 pages.
Binder, Daniel ~ Civil War Collector's Guide to Albert's Button Book: A Handbook of Updates, Corrections & New Discoveries, North South Trader,
1993.
Blair, Dennis G.~ British Buttons Civilian Uniform Buttons 19th - 20th Century, Buxton Press, 2001, 90 pages.
Bottet, Maurice ~ Le Bouton de I'Armee Francaise, J. Leroy, 1908, 126 pages.
Fallou, Louis ~ Le Bouton Uniforme Francais, La
Giberne, 1915, 3700 illustrations of French military buttons, limited edition of 315 copies. A facsimile published in 1997.
Froggatt, David ~ Railway Buttons, Badges And Uniforms, Ian Allan, UK, 1986
Johnson, David F. ~ The American Historical Buttons, New Market, NJ, 1942, Supplement, 1943.
Johnson, David ~Uniform Buttons, Century House, 1948.
Owens, Thomas ~ Maine's Early Militia Buttons, Nat'l Button Soc., 1957.
Poulsom, N. W. ~ Buttons of the Indian Army, Vol. I- VII, Military Press, 1998-2000. ISBN 0854201815
Ripley, Howard ~ Buttons of the British Army 1855-1970, An Illustrated Reference Guide For Collectors, Arms & Armour Press, 1979, b&w line drawings, 64 pages. Updated edition: ...1855-2000, Arrow Press, 2002, 68 pages.
Ripley, Howard ~ Police Buttons: Police Forces of Great Britain and Ireland, R.Hazell & Co, Oxfordshire, 1983, 75 pages.
Ripley, H. & Darmanin, D. ~ Rifle Volunteer Buttons 1859-1908, Military Historical Society, 1996, b&w line drawings, 80 pages.
Shelton, Bob & Luckenbach, Al ~ Uniform Buttons of the Republic of Texas, self published by the authors, 1985, 86 pages.
Squire, Gwen ~Buttons: A Guide for Collectors, ISBN 0584100353, F. Muller, 1972.
Squire, Gwen ~ Livery Buttons: The Pitt Collection, ISBN: 0950474800, Leghorn CO., 1976.
Smylie, Eric ~ Buttons of the Canadian Militia, Army Naval and Air Forces 1900-1990, Vanwell, 1995, b&w illustrations, 109 pages.
Tice, Warren K. ~ Price Guide to Uniform Buttons of the United States, Thomas Publications, 2000.
Tice, Warren K. ~Uniform Buttons of the U. S. Military 1776-1865, 1998.
Troiani, Don ~ Military Buttons of the American Revolution, Thomas, 2000, 180 pages.
VanCourt, Don ~ Transportation Uniform Buttons, VOL 1: Railroad; VOL 2: Transit, 1989, 280 pages.
ILLUSTRATEDAlbert, Alphaeus ~Record of American Uniform and Historical Buttons with Supplement, Boyertown Pub. Co., 1969, 1976.
Albert, Alphaeus ~ Buttons of the Confederacy, Boyertown Pub. Co., Hightstown, NJ, 1963, 93 pages
Albert, Alphaeus ~ Washington Historical Buttons, Hightstown, NJ, 1949, 82 pages.
Binder, Daniel ~ Civil War Collector's Guide to Albert's Button Book: A Handbook of Updates, Corrections & New Discoveries, North South Trader,
1993.
Blair, Dennis G.~ British Buttons Civilian Uniform Buttons 19th - 20th Century, Buxton Press, 2001, 90 pages.
Bottet, Maurice ~ Le Bouton de I'Armee Francaise, J. Leroy, 1908, 126 pages.
Fallou, Louis ~ Le Bouton Uniforme Francais, La
Giberne, 1915, 3700 illustrations of French military buttons, limited edition of 315 copies. A facsimile published in 1997.
Froggatt, David ~ Railway Buttons, Badges And Uniforms, Ian Allan, UK, 1986
Johnson, David F. ~ The American Historical Buttons, New Market, NJ, 1942, Supplement, 1943.
Johnson, David ~Uniform Buttons, Century House, 1948.
Owens, Thomas ~ Maine's Early Militia Buttons, Nat'l Button Soc., 1957.
Poulsom, N. W. ~ Buttons of the Indian Army, Vol. I- VII, Military Press, 1998-2000. ISBN 0854201815
Ripley, Howard ~ Buttons of the British Army 1855-1970, An Illustrated Reference Guide For Collectors, Arms & Armour Press, 1979, b&w line drawings, 64 pages. Updated edition: ...1855-2000, Arrow Press, 2002, 68 pages.
Ripley, Howard ~ Police Buttons: Police Forces of Great Britain and Ireland, R.Hazell & Co, Oxfordshire, 1983, 75 pages.
Ripley, H. & Darmanin, D. ~ Rifle Volunteer Buttons 1859-1908, Military Historical Society, 1996, b&w line drawings, 80 pages.
Shelton, Bob & Luckenbach, Al ~ Uniform Buttons of the Republic of Texas, self published by the authors, 1985, 86 pages.
Squire, Gwen ~Buttons: A Guide for Collectors, ISBN 0584100353, F. Muller, 1972.
Squire, Gwen ~ Livery Buttons: The Pitt Collection, ISBN: 0950474800, Leghorn CO., 1976.
Smylie, Eric ~ Buttons of the Canadian Militia, Army Naval and Air Forces 1900-1990, Vanwell, 1995, b&w illustrations, 109 pages.
Tice, Warren K. ~ Price Guide to Uniform Buttons of the United States, Thomas Publications, 2000.
Tice, Warren K. ~Uniform Buttons of the U. S. Military 1776-1865, 1998.
Troiani, Don ~ Military Buttons of the American Revolution, Thomas, 2000, 180 pages.
VanCourt, Don ~ Transportation Uniform Buttons, VOL 1: Railroad; VOL 2: Transit, 1989, 280 pages.
AUCTION CATALOGUES
Richard A. Bourne Co. ~ The Button Collection of Mrs. Kenneth Lydecker, Hyannis MA, 1980, 64 pages.
Richard A. Bourne Co. ~ Antique Buttons: Three Fine Old Collections, including that of the Noted 19th Century Collector, "The Button Queen," Hyannis MA, 1991, 21 pages.
Sotheby & Co. ~ Catalogue of an Important Collection of Early Buttons: Formerly the Property of the Duc de Meppem. London, 1961, 33 pages, 5 plates. Mostly late 18th and early 19th century underglass buttons.
Richard A. Bourne Co. ~ Antique Buttons: Three Fine Old Collections, including that of the Noted 19th Century Collector, "The Button Queen," Hyannis MA, 1991, 21 pages.
Sotheby & Co. ~ Catalogue of an Important Collection of Early Buttons: Formerly the Property of the Duc de Meppem. London, 1961, 33 pages, 5 plates. Mostly late 18th and early 19th century underglass buttons.
MUSEUM COLLECTION
PUBLICATIONS
PUBLICATIONS
Cooper-Hewitt Museum ~ Buttons in the Collection of the Cooper-Hewitt Museum, Washington, D.C. Smithsonian Institution, 1982.
Emilio, Luis Fenollosa ~ The Emilio Collection of Military Buttons, American, British, French and Spanish Military Buttons in the Museum of the Essex Institute, Salem, MA, 1911, reprint 1942, 264 pages.
MacKenzie, Althea, and Richard Blakey ~ Buttons and Trimmings, The Snowhill Collection
ISBN: 070780387X National Trust, 2005, 94 pages.
Button Lines ~ Magazine of the British Button Society
Button World Magazine
Bead & Button
Hobbies ~ In the 1940s & 50s, Dorothy Foster Brown wrote a regular column on button collecting for this magazine.
Just Buttons
National Button Bulletin ~ Quarterly from the National Button Society.
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Emilio, Luis Fenollosa ~ The Emilio Collection of Military Buttons, American, British, French and Spanish Military Buttons in the Museum of the Essex Institute, Salem, MA, 1911, reprint 1942, 264 pages.
MacKenzie, Althea, and Richard Blakey ~ Buttons and Trimmings, The Snowhill Collection
ISBN: 070780387X National Trust, 2005, 94 pages.
MANUFACTURER'S CATALOGUES,
HISTORIES,
& RELATED WORKS
HISTORIES,
& RELATED WORKS
American Pearl Button Company~ The Romance of Pearls: And Their Manufacture Into "Lady Washington" Pearl Buttons,
16pages.
Buttons: 675 British Patents, published in 1875 and covering button patents from 1683-1875.
Dickinson, H.W.~ Matthew Boulton, Cambridge University Press,1936. Boulton is known for his fine work with cut steel buckles and buttons. This book also includes a review of his work in other manufacturing fields as well.
JR Gaunt & Sons Ltd sales catalogue, Badges, Buttons, Medals, Swords Etc., London and Birminham, 1900.
Jones, W. Unite ~ The Buttons Industry, Pitman & Sons, 1924
McGuinn, William F. and Bruce Bazelon ~ American Military Buttons Makers and Dealers; Their Backmarks & Dates, 1984, 190 pages. I believe this work has been reprinted.
Scovil Manufacturing Company ~ The Mill on Mad River, Scovill Manufacturing Co., 1953. History of the Scovill Manufacturing Company.
Tice, Warren K.~ Dating Buttons : A Chronology of Button Types, Makers, Retailers & Their Backmarks, 2003.
Waterbury Button Company ~ Military And All Metal Buttons: Army Navy, Police, Railroad, Fire Dep't, School and Livery, Waterbury CT, circa 1878, contains approx 46 pages of buttons.
Buttons: 675 British Patents, published in 1875 and covering button patents from 1683-1875.
Dickinson, H.W.~ Matthew Boulton, Cambridge University Press,1936. Boulton is known for his fine work with cut steel buckles and buttons. This book also includes a review of his work in other manufacturing fields as well.
JR Gaunt & Sons Ltd sales catalogue, Badges, Buttons, Medals, Swords Etc., London and Birminham, 1900.
Jones, W. Unite ~ The Buttons Industry, Pitman & Sons, 1924
McGuinn, William F. and Bruce Bazelon ~ American Military Buttons Makers and Dealers; Their Backmarks & Dates, 1984, 190 pages. I believe this work has been reprinted.
Scovil Manufacturing Company ~ The Mill on Mad River, Scovill Manufacturing Co., 1953. History of the Scovill Manufacturing Company.
Tice, Warren K.~ Dating Buttons : A Chronology of Button Types, Makers, Retailers & Their Backmarks, 2003.
Waterbury Button Company ~ Military And All Metal Buttons: Army Navy, Police, Railroad, Fire Dep't, School and Livery, Waterbury CT, circa 1878, contains approx 46 pages of buttons.
PERIODICALS
Button World Magazine
Bead & Button
Hobbies ~ In the 1940s & 50s, Dorothy Foster Brown wrote a regular column on button collecting for this magazine.
Just Buttons
National Button Bulletin ~ Quarterly from the National Button Society.
MISCELLANY
Falck, Anna Mary Hartman & Diller, Dorthoy McCaskey ~ The Play's the Thing: A Button Book from Shakespeare With 85 Vintage Buttons to Illustrate Quotes From 38 Plays by Shakespeare,
Published ca. 1950, ? Lancaster, Pennsylvania, bound in a three ring binder. This work sold on ebay recently, one of a kind! Perhaps this was a project from a button related competition...mentioned perhaps in an old issue of Just Buttons or the NBB?....please email me if any related research is revealed.
Lorenz, Angela ~ Where's the Button? Limited edition of nine copies, 12 collograph plates depicting the decorative use of buttons, bound together with buttons and threads, 1997, Bologna, Italy.
Falck, Anna Mary Hartman & Diller, Dorthoy McCaskey ~ The Play's the Thing: A Button Book from Shakespeare With 85 Vintage Buttons to Illustrate Quotes From 38 Plays by Shakespeare,
Published ca. 1950, ? Lancaster, Pennsylvania, bound in a three ring binder. This work sold on ebay recently, one of a kind! Perhaps this was a project from a button related competition...mentioned perhaps in an old issue of Just Buttons or the NBB?....please email me if any related research is revealed.
Lorenz, Angela ~ Where's the Button? Limited edition of nine copies, 12 collograph plates depicting the decorative use of buttons, bound together with buttons and threads, 1997, Bologna, Italy.
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Special thanks to Mrs. H. P., of the Lambertville NJ flea market for her inspiring discussions on
button collecting throughout the years, and Mrs. L. B. for her
enthusiasm during countless hours spent poring over flea market tables
for the next great button.
Note: This compilation is a work
in progress, based on numerous sources & my personal collection of
button related works, mistakes are my own.
Guide created: 01/17/06 (updated 11/11/08)
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